Isco is part of Zidane’s plans for the 2016-17 season

Real Madrid have to make a decision on Isco’s future this summer. Los Blancos paid 30 million euros for the Málaga man in 2013 and will decide whether to sell him or renew a contract that runs until June 2018. In March the word from those at the top of the club was to put him on the market, but that was before he won over the current coach Zinedine Zidane, who is expecting the player to feature in his plans for the upcoming 2016-17 season.

Isco is currently making the most of his 47-day holiday as he tries to put the disappointment of being left out of Spain’s Euro 2016 squad behind him, and the midfielder has always firmly believed that his future lies at the Bernabéu. Nevertheless, those inside the club still harbour doubts, particularly after he failed to raise his game in the ten starts in 13 games he was given by Zidane, and after his attitude against Levante – where he barely celebrated a goal he scored after coming off the bench – and then against Las Palmas, as he was visibly riled at being substituted.

Yet the disillusionment that marked March and April became optimism in May as Isco showed more commitment, despite having no guarantees of a starting berth - this explains the 48 minutes he enjoyed in the Champions League final in Milan. He also saw out the season with five goals and ten assists in 2,627 minutes on the pitch, and Zidane is aware that Isco can fulfil his potential and is keen to utilise the player's talent in the upcoming campaign.